PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+23.8% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 20 MB).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 136.5 PassMark/$ ($979 MSRP vs $231 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225F moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 5 225F

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $748 less on MSRP ($231 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 315.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 136.5 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($231 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980XE across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,050 vs 24,309).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Core Ultra 5 225F

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+23.8% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 20 MB).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $748 less on MSRP ($231 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 315.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 136.5 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($231 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 136.5 PassMark/$ ($979 MSRP vs $231 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225F moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980XE across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,050 vs 24,309).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 25 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10980XE better than Core Ultra 5 225F?

Yes. Core i9-10980XE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 20.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 42.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 2.0% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10980XE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 20.5% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10980XE is the better fit. You are getting 42.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 23.8% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 20 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i9-10980XE is still the faster CPU overall, but Core Ultra 5 225F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-10980XE is 323.8% more expensive on MSRP at $979 MSRP versus $231 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 225F is also 315.3% better value on MSRP (136.5 vs 32.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1851 + DDR5 setup, Core Ultra 5 225F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core Ultra 5 225F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i9-10980XE Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 225F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Core Ultra 5 225F
1080p
low	280 FPS	256 FPS
medium	249 FPS	244 FPS
high	206 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	174 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	234 FPS	219 FPS
medium	189 FPS	187 FPS
high	154 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	150 FPS
medium	134 FPS	127 FPS
high	106 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Core Ultra 5 225F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Core Ultra 5 225F
1080p
low	550 FPS	603 FPS
medium	457 FPS	512 FPS
high	382 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	345 FPS	378 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	501 FPS
medium	394 FPS	441 FPS
high	336 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	319 FPS
4K
low	285 FPS	301 FPS
medium	247 FPS	266 FPS
high	229 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	218 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Core Ultra 5 225F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Core Ultra 5 225F
1080p
low	805 FPS	789 FPS
medium	805 FPS	680 FPS
high	805 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	805 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	805 FPS	725 FPS
medium	805 FPS	588 FPS
high	768 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	439 FPS
4K
low	596 FPS	504 FPS
medium	501 FPS	422 FPS
high	444 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	374 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Core Ultra 5 225F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-10980XE	Core Ultra 5 225F
1080p
low	805 FPS	789 FPS
medium	805 FPS	789 FPS
high	787 FPS	777 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	699 FPS
1440p
low	805 FPS	789 FPS
medium	722 FPS	716 FPS
high	630 FPS	623 FPS
ultra	552 FPS	547 FPS
4K
low	574 FPS	560 FPS
medium	510 FPS	510 FPS
high	457 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	402 FPS

Open Core i9-10980XE Open Core Ultra 5 225F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-10980XE and Core Ultra 5 225F

Core i9-10980XE

The Core i9-10980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 32,187 points. Launch price was $979.

Core Ultra 5 225F

The Core Ultra 5 225F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 31,541 points. Launch price was $231.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-10980XE packs 18 cores / 36 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 225F offers 10 cores / 10 threads — the Core i9-10980XE has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-10980XE versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225F — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225F (base: 3 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i9-10980XE uses the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 225F uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-10980XE scores 32,187 against the Core Ultra 5 225F's 31,541 — a 2% lead for the Core i9-10980XE. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 24,309 vs 17,050 (35.1% advantage for the Core i9-10980XE). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,242 vs 2,653, a 72.5% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 16,275 vs 13,028 (22.2% advantage for the Core i9-10980XE). L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980XE vs 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225F.

Feature	Core i9-10980XE	Core Ultra 5 225F
Cores / Threads	18 / 36+80%	10 / 10
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	4.9 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.3 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	24.75 MB (total)+24%	20 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+200%
Process	14 nm	3 nm-79%
Architecture	Cascade Lake-X (2019)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	32,187+2%	31,541
Cinebench R23 Multi	24,309+43%	17,050
Geekbench 6 Single	1,242	2,653+114%
Geekbench 6 Multi	16,275+25%	13,028

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-10980XE uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 5 225F uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Core i9-10980XE versus DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 5 225F — the Core Ultra 5 225F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 256 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Core i9-10980XE) vs 2 (Core Ultra 5 225F). PCIe lanes: 48 (Core i9-10980XE) vs 24 (Core Ultra 5 225F) — the Core i9-10980XE offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: X299 (Core i9-10980XE) and Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 225F).

Feature	Core i9-10980XE	Core Ultra 5 225F
Socket	LGA2066	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	DDR5-6400+25%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	256 GB
RAM Channels	4+100%	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	48+100%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: Yes (Core i9-10980XE) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 225F).

Feature	Core i9-10980XE	Core Ultra 5 225F
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	Yes	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-10980XE launched at $979 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 225F debuted at $231. On MSRP ($979 vs $231), the Core Ultra 5 225F is $748 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-10980XE delivers 32.9 pts/$ vs 136.5 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 5 225F — making the Core Ultra 5 225F the 122.4% better value option.